The Convention on the Sale of Wildlife of Endangered Species meeting in Sandton voted to move the four species of Asian pangolins into its most protected status.

They will place the four African species of pangolins under this umbrella later today.

Moving pangolins from appendix two to appendix one of CITES means that all trade in the world’s most trafficked mammal is now banned.

Pangolins are hunted for their protective scales made of the same material of rhino horn.

Jorge Rios of the United Nations Office Of Drugs and Crime says corruption will trump any protection provided by the world organisation.

They call corruption the elephant in the room.

The post Pangolins moved into CITES maximum security zone appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The 182-country United Nations body knows that unless elephant poaching is stopped now, the animal will disappear from the wild in a couple of decades.

ends intro

Zimbabwe and Namibia, backed by South Africa, want to be allowed to sell their stockpile of ivory.

Botswana’s ranged against them, backed by 29 other African nations, calling for an immediate and permanent ban on the sale of ivory and the destruction of stockpiles to remove its financial value.

The convention is expected to continue the ban on trading rhino horn.

However there is a well-financed lobby arguing that  those  farming rhino are protecting the species and should be permitted to make large profits by harvesting  the horn, which grows back.

The post At CITIES, Africa’s split over what do about the elephant appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered species, or CITES,  is meeting for the first time in South Africa which houses the greatest rhino population on the planet and the second highest number of elephants.

ends intro

CITES will look at the $20 billion illegal wildlife trade which is the fourth largest illicit business in the world.

It has to decide on whether to toughen or relax trade restriction on 500 species of plants and animals.

Swaziland’s proposed an easing of the ban on the sale of rhino horn.

Zimbabwe and Namibia want to be allowed the sell their ivory stockpiles.

Opponents say this would give carte blanche to organised crime controlling this market and will drive rhino and elephant off the endangered list into extinction.

The post Rhino and elephant will dominate CITES meeting starting in South Africa appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

He says he doesn’t want these middle men killed. He wants them jailed and giving information about the organised crime bosses they are working for.

Chris Bean makes a living collecting debts in Africa.

But in Boksburg today he’s representing a client who’s never paid him and never will: the rhino.

He was giving evidence to a specialist committee set up by the Department of Environmental Affairs to recommend the line South Africa should take on legalising the sale of rhino horn at the Conference on the International Trade in Endangered Species it’s hosting in Cape Town next year.

Bean maintains the international law governing hot pursuit entitles South Africa to chase poachers into Mozambique and to recover them to face justice here.

The post Lawyer calls for cross-border raid to catch rhino poachers in Mozambique appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.